A bronze ceremonial vessel made around the 9th century, one of the
bronzes found at Igbo-Ukwu.[1]

Southeastern Nigeria[edit]
Further information: Archaeology of Igbo-Ukwu
Around the
9th century9th century the edo people of what is now southeastern
NigeriaNigeria developed bronze casts of humans, animals, and mythical
creatures. These bronzes, which were used as vessels, amulets,
pendants, and sacrificial tools, are among the earliest made bronzes
ever found in Nigeria. Most items were part of a burial of a nobleman
culture in the northern part of benin empire. Evidence of long
distance trade between benin empire and poutugist was also discovered
through the thousands of glass beads found at Old Cairo at the
workshops of Fustat.
The development of the benin Kingdom can be attributed to the
proficiency at advanced metallurgy seen in the bronze jewelry crafted
by local artisans.
Ghana Empire[edit]
Further information: Ghana Empire
The
Ghana (Wagadu) EmpireGhana (Wagadu) Empire (before c.
830830 until c. 1235) was located in
what is now southeastern
MauritaniaMauritania and western Mali. It is considered
the first of the Sahelian Kingdoms, which would exist in some form
until the early 20th century.
Western Europe[edit]
Britain and Ireland[edit]
Britain experienced a great influx of
VikingViking peoples in the 9th
century as the
VikingViking Age continued from the previous century. The
kingdoms of the
HeptarchyHeptarchy were gradually conquered by the Danes, who
set up
Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon puppet rulers in each kingdom. This invasion was
achieved by a huge military force known as the Great Heathen Army,
which was supposedly led by Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan Ragnarsson, and
Guthrum. This Danish army first arrived in Britain in
865865 in East
Anglia. After conquering that kingdom, the army proceeded to capture
the city of
YorkYork (Jorvik) and establish the kingdom of Jorvik. The
Danes went on to subjugate the kingdom of
NorthumbriaNorthumbria and to take all
but the western portion of Mercia. The remaining kingdom of
WessexWessex was
the only kingdom of the
HeptarchyHeptarchy left.
Alfred the GreatAlfred the Great managed to
maintain his kingdom of
WessexWessex and push back the
VikingViking incursions,
relieving the neighbouring kingdoms from the threat of the Danes
following his famous victory over them at the
Battle of EthandunBattle of Ethandun in
878. Alfred re-established
Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon rule over the western half of
Mercia, and the
DanelawDanelaw was established which separated
MerciaMercia into
halves, the eastern half remaining under the control of the Danes.
IrelandIreland was also affected by the
VikingViking expansion across the North
Sea. Extensive raids were carried out all along the coast and
eventually permanent settlements were established, such as that of
DublinDublin in 841. Particular targets for these raids were the monasteries
on the western coast of Ireland, as they provided a rich source for
loot. On such raids the
VikingsVikings set up impermanent camps, which were
called longphorts by the Irish—this period of
VikingViking raids on the
coasts of
IrelandIreland has been named the longphort phase after these types
of settlements.
IrelandIreland in the
9th century9th century was organised into an
amalgam of small kingdoms, called tuatha. These kingdoms were
sometimes grouped together and ruled by a single, provincial ruler. If
such a ruler could establish and maintain authority over a portion of
these tuatha, he was sometimes granted the title of High King.
ScotlandScotland also experienced significant
VikingViking incursions during the 9th
century. The
VikingsVikings established themselves in coastal regions,
usually in northern Scotland, and in the northern islands such as
OrkneyOrkney and Shetland. The
VikingViking invasion and settlement in Scotland
provided a contributing factor in the collapse of the kingdoms of the
Picts, who inhabited most of
ScotlandScotland at the time. Not only were the
Pictish realms either destroyed or severely weakened, the Viking
invasion and settlement may have been the reason for the movement of
Kenneth MacAlpin, the king of
Dál RiataDál Riata at that time. The kingdom of
Dál RiataDál Riata was located on the western coast of Scotland, and Viking
incursions destroyed it after the death of its previous king, Áed mac
Boanta in 839, according to the Annals of Ulster. This may have caused
the new king, MacAlpin, to move to the east, and conquer the remnants
of the Pictish realms. MacAlpin became king of the
PictsPicts in
843843 and
later kings would be titled as the
King of AlbaKing of Alba or King of Scots.
Art of the 9th century[edit]

Art in the
9th century9th century was primarily dedicated to the Gospel and
employed as basic tools of liturgy of the Roman Orthodox Church.
Thousands of golden art objects were made: Sacred cups, vessels,
reliquaries, crucifixes, rosaries, altar pieces, and statues of the
Virgin and Child or Saints all kept the flame of western art from
dying out. Architecture began to revive to some extent by the 9th
century, taking the form of Church facilities of all kinds, and the
first castle fortifications since Roman times began to take form in
simple "moat and baily" castles, or simple "strong point" tower
structures, with little refinement.
9th -
13th century13th century - El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, is
built. Itza (northern Maya) culture.

BorobudurBorobudur was likely founded around 800.[4] This corresponds to the
period between 760 and 830, the peak of the
SailendraSailendra dynasty in
central Java,[5] when it was under the influence of the Srivijayan
Empire. The construction has been estimated to have taken 75 years and
been completed during the reign of
SamaratunggaSamaratungga in 825.[2][3]

First image of a rotary grindstone in a European source—illustration
shows crank, first known use of a crank in the West (Utrecht Psalter,
843)
First known printed book, the Diamond Sutra, printed in
ChinaChina using
woodblock printing in 868.
Invention of gunpowder by Chinese
TaoistTaoist Alchemists.
Vulgar LatinVulgar Latin begins to develop into various Romance languages.
Two syllabaries or kana are developed from simplified Chinese
characters in Japan.